Simeon places his large hands on her face and cups it gently, he looks deep and his soul screams in rage! She is broken, calling for him. Alone in the darkness, the demon comes for her again and again, in her dreams. With a shutter, he sees there is no escape from the pain, not even in her dreams. It replays repeatedly in her mind. Simeon weeps for her. In his own fear; afraid he would fall, he failed her. He should have known she was marked but he stayed away to avoid temptation. Opening his chocolate eyes, he feels the tears roll down his cheeks. “Forgive me Elsbeth, I didn’t know.”
She reaches out and wipes his tears, raining kisses all over his face. Finally stopping a hair from his mouth, she whispers, “I forgive you, Simeon, kiss me, please,” she begs.
Grabbing her head by her hair, he jerks her head back telling her, “I will not! Elsbeth, I would not be able to stop.”
In a moment, they are standing outside near the waterfall. She wears a beautiful pink dress that drapes to her ankles. Smiling at her joy in such a simple garment he says, “You are so beautiful, Elsbeth, you should not hide it. Will you fly with me?” He asks still holding her in his arms.
Her body trembles with fear and she tells him, “I can’t. He used my fear of heights, Simeon…” trying to push away, she says to him, “They would take me to the top of a boiling volcano and push me off. The marks are from him catching me. The pain of the tentacles sinking in was nothing compared to the fall!!” Shaking, she begins to sob in shame. “He left me nothing, not even the hope of death. I wanted to die, so why didn’t you let me?” she screams at him, beating on his chest. Encircling them with his wings, he slides her up and holds her against his heart. Shielding her from all sight, she is cocooned in his heat.
“I am lost, Elsbeth, without you. I could not let you die because I am fallen.” He says the words that he hides in his heart. Pushing back, she looks into his humiliated face.
“No! You are not! Simeon, you are kindness and light. You took my pain as your own. Even now, you are doing it. You are not fallen!” I won’t let you fall because of me, she thinks.
The rumbling in his chest tells her he is laughing at her as he says, “Elsbeth, you are amazing; you think you can save me?” With her head resting on his chest, she is distracted by the strength of his arms and hard body. Running her hands over his shoulders, down his arms and back again, she feels his sharp intake of breath. With a flick of her tongue, she searches for his pulse, and she presses her open mouth to it feeling the rhythm. She bites it and sucks gently, and smiles when his large hands clutch her tightly. He holds her against him with steel strength and he knows that if she asks again, he will not have the strength to say no.
“Really, just because I am smaller than you does not mean I have no options left to me.” Fascinated by her mouth, Simeon watches her soft pink tongue darts out over her lips, causing his mouth salivate.
Growling deep in his throat, he whispers, “You should not tempt me so, Elsbeth. I am so close and my need for you is intolerable!” Snapping his wings out, all the heat is gone in an instant. “I need to cleanse you, but I understand your fear. I promise to take you only a few feet off the ground.”
“You can remove the marks from the demon Simeon, but what of the marks from you?”
As he looks at her he states, “I did not mark you Elsbeth.”
Smiling a sad smile, she looks at him with hollow eyes, “We are both marked Simeon. I fear I will never be free of my need for you. I will fly with you, just don’t let me fall.”
“Never, Elsbeth, never,” he responds smiling softly. Holding on tightly around his neck with his muscular arms around her tiny waist, he leaps straight up. Soaring through the night sky, he slowly flaps his beautiful wings and in that moment, Simeon finds a moment to rejoice. With her face buried in his neck, Elsbeth holds on tightly with her eyes squeezed shut. The heat from his body warms her.
“Open your eyes, Elsbeth, look at me.” Looking at him, she sees he has kept his promise. They are hovering over the water near the falls.
She smiles at the absurdity. Feeling embarrassed, she says, “I am sorry I am such a coward.”
“Never say that again!” he tells her angrily. “You have more courage than most angels I know.” He tells her, “Flying with an archangel is forbidden for good reason. The act of flight is intimate and it is difficult to maintain a clear mind because it is so exhilarating. I am a strong healer. It is during flight that angel dust is transferred. Sometimes humans see it as shooting stars.” Slowly starting to spin, he tells her, “You will feel heat, warmth and peace. It will not hurt. Let it flow through you and fill your damaged soul.” Elsbeth is lifted up hair streaming free, spiraling. Simeon rains his golden dust over her body and sinking deep into her soul. She feels the warmth of his gilded touch healing the chasm in her soul. With his wings around them, he seals them inside and lifts his head, calling on his gifts. They are illuminated in a soft golden light. A slow mist showers down over them, golden dust saturating every inch of her hair, face and body. Like a snowflake melting on her hot
